Portable receptacle



June'29, 1943. J, H. I EvlN v IPORTABLE RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. ll, 1941 229i zn e y// IN V EN TOR.

Patented June 29, 1943 UAIVTID STATES PATENT" FFICE PORTABLE RECEPTCLEj Joseph H. Levin, `Washing-ton, l). ,0. Application october 11, 1941, s,arterial).'Lilia-"674` I ioiaim. (o1. 22ossi This invention relates to a portable receptacle to be used for `holding various kinds of articles to be carried from .place to place, it being useful in the transportation of mechanics tools., ,milk bottles, -confectioI-is, salesmens samples, etc.

An object is to provide the receptacle with a cover so mounted that it can not only be held tightly in closed position but can also be swung outwardly and held in position where it can be used as a shelf extending backwardly from the receptacle or as a rack for holding drawings or the like, or in a lowered position behind the receptacle where itwill be out of the way.

Another object is to utilize hinges of new and novel construction by which the cover can be moved readily to any one of the positions stated.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, very durable, and can be produced at low cost.

Another object is to provide a hinge which is separable to allow the cover to be removed entirely from the receptacle when desired but which constitutes a strong connection between the cover` to insure against unauthorized opening of the cover when the same is closed and locked.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section through the device taken from front to rear and showing the lid open and lowered back of the receptacle, other positions of the lid being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the structure, parts being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 1.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference, I designates the box-like body of the receptacle which can be of any size or shape desired and formed of any suitable material. For example it could be formed of sheet metal and the upper edge portions of the walls of the sheet metal receptacle can be bent inwardly as at 2 to form a ledge and thence upwardly to form a continuous flange 3. By shaping the upper portions of rthe walls in this way when formed of sheet metal, the resultant .structure is stifiened and capable of resisting rough usage.

Secured tothe inner surface of the back wall of the receptacle nearthe top Vthereof 4are hinge plates l' each of Which'carries a removable pintle 5 which serves to detachably connect to the plate a sleeve 6 formed with and extending trans- Versely of one end portion of a goose neck I which can be substantially semicircular and so proportioned that when it is swung upwardly, it will move over and straddle the top edge of the receptacle Wall to which it is connected. The other end of each goose neck has a T-head 8 the oppositely extending members of which carry coiled springs 9. These springs and the heads 8 on which they are mounted are located within channelled guides I0 which are secured to the inner or under-surface of a lid I I. The lid is proportioned to t snugly upon the upper edges of the walls of the receptacle when the lid is closed and obviously the channelled guides are parallel and are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the goose neck portions of the hinges.

To prevent the T-heads of the goose necks from being pulled out of the guide channels, each of said channels is formed with retaining iianges I2 which are extended toward each other and from one end to the other of the guide, the space between the opposed iianges being such as to allow the goose neck to move freely therein. The

ends of the guides are of course closed, preferably by the adjacent front and back Walls of the lid and the springs carried by the T-heads constitute friction grips or shoes for engaging the inner surfaces of the sides ofthe respective channelled guides so as thus to hold the lid against sliding movement relative to the goose necks unless suicient force is exerted by the user to overcome the resistance oiered by the springs.

The parts are so proportioned that the lid or cover Il can fit snugly on the upper edge portions of the walls of the receptacle so as thus to tightly close the device and when the lid is thus positioned the goose necks are in their lowermost positions within the receptacle with their heads in those ends of the channelled guides nearest the back wall of the receptacle. Thus the back portion of the lid is held tightly in closed position and any suitable means, indicated generally at I3 can be employed for locking the front portion of the lid to the receptacle.

By unfastening the front portion of the lid, said lid is free to be swung upwardly and backwardly and, if desired, it can be brought to a rearwardly extended position back of the top portion of the receptacle, the goose necks, at this time, extending over the back wall of the receptacle and holding the lid in position close to the back wall. Thus the lid will be supported in a substantially horizontal position as indicated by broken lines in the drawing at a and can be used as a shelf on which various articles can be temporarily placed for convenience of access or for display purposes.

Another position of the lid can be attained by pushing the lid downwardly while in a substantially vertical position back of the receptacle until it has been partly lowered.' During this action the sides of the channelled guides will push past the springs engaging them and when the lid has been brought to a partly lowered position, its top portion can be swung outwardly to a limited extent to position b, thereby forminga rack on which a drawing, display card, or the like can be supported above the open receptacle.

Byvgiving a further downward thrust to' the lid, it can be forced downwardly to position c` Where it will be out of the way. Obviously by reversing the movement of the lid it can be brought quickly back to position upon the top of the receptacle and thereafter locked, if desired.

It will be obvious that, by withdrawing the pintles 5 the goose necks can be detached from the receptacle and the lid thus bodily removed.

What is claimed is: The combination with .a receptacle and a lid therefor, of goose necks hingedly connected at one end to the inner side of one wall of the receptacle `and'positioned to straddle and bear against `the inner side of said wall when at one limit of l their movement and to lie Within the receptacle when at the other limit of their movement, guides within the lid supported by and slidable relative to the goose necks, means for holding the goose necks against separation from the guides, yieldable friction means carried by the goose necks for restraining sliding movement of the lid relative to the goose necks, said goose necks and guides being positioned to support thelidin a substantially horizontal position back of the upper portion of the receptacle and in an'upstanding position back of the receptacle. JOSEPH H. LEVIN. 

